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This is a rant. Why? Cause I’m disappointed. Why? Cause after months of political poker, we will finally have an actual government again. And guess what? So far, only TWO out of twelve ministers will be a woman: Edith Schippers as Minister of Health and Melanie Schultz as Minister of Traffic and Infrastructure. Furthermore, ALL ministers that have been announced so far are white. With only a few more positions to fill, this worries me. Especially, since our new conservative government, held in place by a shameful gentlemen’s agreement between Liberal Democrats, Christian Democrats and the right wing Freedom Party, has already announced some serious budget cuts on domains that will hit women hard. Childcare, for example. In a country where women work an average of only 24 hours per week, you should think a government will do anything to help women participate. But no, the old boys think we can do with a lot less.
More than half of all citizens of this country are women. Still, women only make 81% of men’s total income, and in equal positions, women are still paid 7 % less. Do I trust these old boys in The Hague to solve these and other important equality issues, when they are only inviting two women to join their team?
This is 2010. Dutch women have had the right to vote since 1922. Our first female minister, Marga Klompé, was appointed in 1956. What progress have we really made, if our new government does not reflect our society? I rest my case. Viva la revolucion!